Prioritizing Saving Sentient Beings and My Children’s Education

(Minghui.org) I am a practitioner who has been in America for 18 months. I’d like to share my cultivation experience about how I balance time between saving sentient beings and educating my children.

Letting Go of Attachments Gradually

I was good academically when I was young, and I was very attached to academics. I paid much attention to my children’s academic study after I had children. When I was in China, I was in charge of their studies, while their grandparents did the cooking and other household chores for us. I bought an apartment in the best school district, and took them to and from school. I studied one lecture of Zhuan Falun every day, and spent most of my time helping my children with their studies.

After I came to the United States, I planned to study the Fa more and save more sentient beings to make up for what I didn’t do well in China, but my environment had changed. I barely had enough time to do the three things, look after my family, and make a living. I didn’t have time to sit with my children while they studied. I nearly collapsed psychologically in the beginning.

How should I arrange my limited time? I didn’t know the answer.

Master said:

“If you don’t prioritize well, then it could affect what you need to do since, let me tell you, all of what you do is for yourself. Being able to prioritize things well is remarkable in its own right, and it will result in your walking the path the right way, and that’s mighty virtue.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

When I was not able to balance these things well, I recited Master’s Fa in my heart repeatedly:

“Being able to prioritize things well is remarkable in its own right...” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

Though I didn’t have a clear understanding of the Fa, I felt that I was right to make clarifying the truth, studying the Fa, and doing the three things my priorities.

I made truth-clarification phone calls to Chinese people in the morning first, then prepared breakfast for my family, and took my children to school. I then studied Zhuan Falun in Chinese and English, as well as Master’s lectures, until noon. I then took a break and had lunch. I went to pick up my kids before I made dinner. In between I did shopping, delivered The Epoch Times newspapers, and did some part time work. On weekends I went to the beach to clarify the truth to people, participated in Shen Yun promotion, or the promotion of Gan Jing World. I didn’t go on any trips with my kids the first year I was here.

Some practitioners suggested that I spend time with my kids, or help them with their studies. That was a test of my xinxing. What should I choose to do given such limited time? I saw that many practitioners’ children were learning musical instruments, playing piano, or studying another language. Some took their kids to the library, museums, and other places. My heart was moved when I saw this.

One day I was collecting signatures at the beach. One Chinese person asked me why I had chosen to come there instead of resting, looking after my family, educating my children, or doing the things I liked to do. I clarified the truth to her. When I turned away from her, I could no longer hold back my tears. It felt like Master had used her to let me know that it was my choice to use this time to save sentient beings.

As I studied the Fa more, Master showed the inner meaning of the Fa to me. I became clearer about the Fa. I understood that my children could live not only because I gave them a physical body, but also because they have their own main consciousnesses, their own arranged lives, and their own missions.

I used to pave the way for my children according to my own plans so that they would have a better future. That demonstrated that I didn’t believe in Master or the Fa. I said again and again that we must believe in Master and the Fa, while in reality I did things according to my notions. I studied the Fa again and again but didn’t truly believe it.

As I started to understand the Fa more clearly, I started to take things easily and make cultivation my first priority. I just follow the course of nature.

Young Practitioners Doing the Three Things

I help my children with their school homework, then study the Fa with them, take them to participate in the Dafa activities, and get them involved in projects for saving sentient beings.

They joined a Fa study group for young practitioners. They didn’t know many Chinese characters. I studied the Fa with them in the morning. They learned more and more Chinese characters and understood the Fa more and more clearly. When my son read about “the theory of three thousand worlds” in Zhuan Falun he asked if we were in a grain of sand.

After they finished reading Zhuan Falun, the young practitioners memorized poems from Hong Yin. This was hard for my son. I talked to the coordinator practitioner and asked if my son could skip this activity. She shared with me and encouraged my son to participate. He can now recite many poems from Hong Yin, and has a deeper understanding of the Fa. He has often exclaimed that Master’s poems were so wonderful after he has recited them.

We often care a lot about whether we ourselves can fulfill our vows, but ignore whether our young Dafa disciples can fulfill theirs. They are also Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period. I take my children to participate in Dafa activities whenever possible. They have helped me distribute newspapers, joined performances during Falun Dafa Day celebrations, held banners in parades, and they now join a parade at the beach. My four-year-old daughter finished a parade which took an entire afternoon without any problem. She asked me to take her to the parade next time.

My son has done the three things well, and his academic performance has also been good.

Master said:

“Studying the Fa well definitely won’t affect anything of yours in your cultivation, and on the contrary, it will help you get twice the results at your job or with your schoolwork with half the effort.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

After my son had been in the U.S. for one year, he could understand his teachers perfectly and could speak English well. Many people were surprised that he had only been in the U.S. for one year. He is good at mathematics as well.

He became interested in playing chess after a chess class at school. I enrolled him in the class. He won two championship awards. I learned that another young practitioner was taking a prestigious chess class, which happened to be near our home. I registered my son for it as well. I understood that as long as I am not attached to anything and take things easily, Master will arrange everything for me.

When other people talk about their children’s education, my heart will not be moved now. I just follow the course of nature. It is more important for young Dafa practitioners to study the Fa well and fulfill their vows.